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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28974051">Swan’s Ambitions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis'>Jathis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sofia the First (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Wings, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Wings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:01:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,612</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28974051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The black swan Cedric makes his move for the throne of Enchancia.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Swan’s Ambitions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The black swan spread his wings and arms out as he altered the throne room, filling it with black and silver images of swans ready for battle. No other bird was shown, only swans. Things were going to be different now. People were going to bow and spread their wings to him for once! He imagined the faces of all the people who had tormented him over the years, kneeling and begging not to have their wings clipped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wing clipping was second only to execution, although there were many who said being forced to live without the ability to fly was far worse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric smiled as he climbed up the steps to the throne. The red carpet was now a rich purple, the new favored color of Enchancian royalty. He would rule Enchancia with an iron fist! He would make sure that everyone who had mocked him would suffer ten times the pain he was put through! He would…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Cedric!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tensed up immediately, hissing loudly as he whirled around to look at the sparrow flying into the room. Why was she here?! Why was she always there when he least wanted her around?! “Enchancia is mine!” he shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sparrow fluttered closer, hanging in the air as she looked down at him. She was terrified, he could see by the way her limbs trembled. Despite this, she stood her ground and refused to back down from the furious sorcerer. “Mr. Cedric, you don’t want to do this! This isn’t what you want!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grip tightened on his wand and he pointed it in her face. “This is all I have ever wanted!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Cedric, please!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their eyes locked and he held his wand with both hands. He had every intention of freezing her like he had the rest of the Royals. She was always up his feathers anyway! How many times had she ruined his plans? Far too many in his opinion! All he had to do was freeze her and…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sparrow kept her eyes locked with the black swan’s. She was a small common bird and she had already done so much since becoming a princess. He thought about her begging to learn magic from him, insisting she would be learning from the greatest sorcerer ever. He thought about her defending him from others on more than one occasion. He thought about all the times she had called him great when he didn’t believe it himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric let go of the wand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The throne room changed back as the Medusa Stone was shattered against the steps. The Royal family and the palace guards were freed from its grasp. In a brief moment of panic Cedric ran for the doors but was stopped by strong hands grabbing his wings and twisting him around, forcing him to bow down low.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here’s his wand,” Sofia panted, handing it to Roland.The golden eagle nodded his head in thanks, turning to look at Cedric in anger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His wife Miranda spread her speckled starling wings, hugging all three children closer to herself. “Cedric! How could you?” she asked in disbelief. The idea of being attacked by someone from Enchancia had never entered her mind as something that could happen, especially not someone who had known Roland since they were both chicks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never thought you were capable of something like this!” Roland cried, his wings trembling in anger and lingering fear for his family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never thought I was capable of anything!” Cedric wrenched his wings free from the guards, holding himself up high as he finally verbalized what he had been keeping buried deep inside. “No one did! I remember those days when your father was king and mine was the royal sorcerer; everything you did was the greatest thing ever! But did anyone notice when I did something right? No! They only noticed when I made a mistake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roland narrowed his eyes at the other, his wings held up and spread in a threatening display. “And you made a lot of mistakes!” he snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So did you! And so did my sister! But neither of you could do any wrong in our parents’ eyes.” His eyes burned with tears and they fell as his legs gave out from under him and he fell to his knees. “I on the other hand...could only do wrong! In a family full of white swan magic users that went back generations I was the only one whose wings came out a different color! Father always said it was an omen that I would be trouble! Nothing I did was good enough for him or anyone else! All I wanted was for someone to finally see that I am a great man…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sofia’s heart broke at the sorcerer’s words. He had always seemed so intent on impressing others and worrying about what others thought of him. She realized now he had been feeling this way for a long time. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by her father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then maybe you should have tried doing something great! Take him away.” The king fought the urge to snap the wand he was holding in half. He turned back to his family, folding his wings against his back as he looked everyone over for any injuries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad, this is wrong,” Sofia finally said. “Mr. Cedric could have frozen me but he chose not to. He let me take the wand from him!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sofia,” Miranda sighed, “I know you want to see the good in everyone but sometimes there isn’t any good to be found. Swans are known for being dangerous. This is something you’ll have to learn as you grow up. Not everyone can be redeemed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Sofia shook her head. “No, I don’t believe that. Mr. Cedric has some good in him. I know he does!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sofia…” Miranda watched sadly as her daughter ran out of the throne room, shaking her head. “This is a hard lesson to learn,” she murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Especially from someone that she trusted so much,” Roland agreed, looking at the wand in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had never been down in the dungeons before. She hugged her wings close to her back as she went down the stairs, shivering to herself. She walked past the dozing guard and empty cells, following the sound of someone playing a harmonica...very poorly. It sounded mostly like awkward honking and wheezing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sofia wasn’t surprised when she found Cedric was the source of the sound. “Mr. Cedric…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Weighted chains had been locked around his wings, hobbling him so he would be unable to fly. He had been playing a silver harmonica and he blushed and set it down when he saw the sparrow. “What are you doing here?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really mad at you,” she said. “You lied to me, you attacked Baileywick, you attacked my family, and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I know. I tried to take over the kingdom,” he sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, the worst thing you did? The worst thing you did to me was say we weren’t friends.” He looked at her in surprise, leaning forward to read her face as if looking for a lie. “I know you’re still my friend just like I’m still your friend, Mr. Cedric.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had never encountered anyone like this little sparrow before. After everything he had done, she still called him friend. “Sofia, I…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud commotion made the both of them look up. The guard down below was called upstairs and Sofia heard something about the castle being under attack again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to go!” she said, running back to the stairs before Cedric could say anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched her leave and worry came to him as he thought about who it could be. Greylock the horned owl had his own kingdom to try and take. Who could..?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimtrix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tensed up in realization. Of course the Headmaster of Hexley Hall would be here to finish what he had started! And unlike Cedric, Grimtrix would not be stopped by a child asking him to!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought made Cedric hiss and he backed up from the bars. He needed to get out of here. He needed to help protect Sofia! He slammed a wing against the bars. They had been built to keep things like predatory birds and commoner birds inside but most people never considered a swan’s wings. Swans could beat someone to death with their wings if they needed to. It took several more swings but he finally broke through the bars, crying out in pain at the way the chains bit into his wings. He would worry about them later, he needed to help Sofia!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He found the small sparrow facing down the snowy owl in the throne room, holding up a shield to protect herself. The others had been frozen with Grimtrix’s stone, leaving Sofia as the only obstacle in his way. “Grimtrix!” he shouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cedric!” Grimtrix smiled at him, relaxing his posture. “I had worried I would need to tear this place down to find you! I came here to help. Great sorcerer or not, things can happen. This is just a little speed bump on your road to being king.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held his staff out to Cedric as the other approached, smiling as he nodded to the princess. “She’s the only thing standing in your way, King Cedric the Great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took the offered staff. Sofia dropped the shield and he turned to face her, his expression grim as he pointed the Medusa Stone at her. They locked eyes as the stone started to glow and at the last moment he smiled and winked at her before whirling around and blasting Grimtrix with it. His familiar was frozen next and he started to work on removing the stone from the staff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Cedric!” Sofia cried. She smiled up at him, glad that her trust had been right. “Thank you, Mr. Cedric.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blushed, shrugging as he toyed with the stone. “Well that’s...what friends are for,” he said. Sofia smiled and Cedric found himself feeling oddly happy he could make her smile like that. “I’m going to break this,” he warned, “but Grimtrix will be freed too once it’s broken. Be ready for it!” Sofia nodded and he hurled the stone to the ground, shattering it into useless dust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guards! Seize that sorcerer!” Sofia commanded, pointing to Grimtrix. The guards moved quickly before he could react, taking hold of his arms and wings to keep him grounded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric winced as a hand came down on his chained up and still very sore wing. “Ngh…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that sorcerer! He saved us,” Sofia said, her small brown wings puffing up. “Take off his hobbles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a sigh of relief as the chains came off, spreading them out wide and giving them a few flaps. “I have never felt more of an urge to fly than when those chains were put on me,” he said. “Luckily they didn’t account for swans using our wings like clubs when necessary,” he said with a soft giggle. “I daresay they’ll have to do a complete redo of the dungeons after that. This time they shall have to remember what we swans are capable of!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric’s good mood left him as a deep voice cleared their throat. He turned around and winced when he found Roland and the others staring at him and Sofia. “Um…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wordlessly Roland reached out to Sofia. She took his hand and let him lead her back to the thrones, each Royal sitting on the one meant for them. “Make your plea,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Recognizing this as his last chance, Cedric moved to obey. He got down on his knees at the bottom of the steps that led to the main throne and he clasped his hands in supplication, throwing himself forward until he was nearly flat on the ground while still on his knees. His wings he unfurled, spreading them out on either side of his body to their full length, leaving them open and vulnerable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He struggled to think of what he could say and he found himself just blurting out the first thing that came into his head. “ I am so very very very very very very very sorry! And...it won’t happen again?” He mentally slapped himself upside the head for that. He always choked when things were important!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roland still held Cedric’s wand. “I appreciate the apology, Cedric,” he began toying with the magical tool, “but that doesn’t change what you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But then he saved us from Grimtrix!” Sofia piped up, moving to stand beside her father.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and that is why his wings are not being introduced to a pair of shears right now. But how can I let him be the royal sorcerer again? How are we supposed to trust this black swan after what he did?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sofia thought a moment and then spoke up again. “Dad, when I first came here; Amber insisted that eagles and sparrows couldn’t be sisters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The harpy eagle princess looked up at the mention of her name. She winced as she was reminded of her past behavior, making herself look smaller on her throne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She did some things that weren’t very nice to try and drive that point home. But I gave her a second chance and now she’s the best sister anyone could hope for, eagle or sparrow!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amber blushed, smiling at Sofia’s words. “Oh! Sofia…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should give Mr. Cedric a second chance,” Sofia pressed. “...and maybe this time we could all work on being a little nicer to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miranda looked at the prone figure as she listened to her daughter. She slowly nodded her head, standing up to stand beside her husband. “I agree,” she said. “From what he told us about his childhood; Cedric could have used a lot more downy kindness and less talon punishment. Everyone makes mistakes but if you only focus on those how can they get better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miranda smiled at her husband knowingly, placing a hand on his arm. “Imagine what it would be like if everyone compared you to your father whenever you did anything. Do you think you would look at them in a positive light?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The golden eagle’s previous anger left him at the starling’s words. He sighed as he leaned forward, still toying with the wand in his hands. “It’s...it’s not easy living in a famous father’s shadow,” he softly said. He thought about all of the little tricks and pranks he had played as a child and how he had not been punished for any of them. Cedric on the other hand was scolded for the smallest of things. Roland had grown up supported by everyone; Cedric had been left to dig and scratch for every little thing by himself and even then it was never good enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a heavy sigh Roland stood up, looking down at Cedric. “Cedric, I will make you royal sorcerer again under one condition.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifted up his head for the first time, a hopeful expression on his face. “Anything, sire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want you to remember that if it weren’t for Sofia; you would have had your wings clipped and been exiled from Enchancia forever.” Roland gave the wand to Sofia, smiling at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sorcerer pushed himself up, folding his wings behind his back. He smiled as Sofia came down and gave him back his wand. “I shall never forget the little sparrow princesses’ kindness,” he promised. She threw her arms around him in a hug and he laughed as he returned it, wrapping his wings around her in gratitude.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I love wing stories</p></blockquote></div></div>
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